Govia Thameslink Railway Limited

Govia Thameslink Railway Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Sue Hasty, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Address: Govia Thameslink Railway Monument Place 24 Monument Street London EC3R 8AJ Monitoring visit: Govia Thameslink Railway Limited, 14–15 April 2021

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Context and focus of visit

From October 2018, Ofsted undertook to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of apprenticeship training provision which began to be funded from April 2017 or after by ESFA and/or the apprenticeship levy. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements and as outlined in the Further education and skills inspection handbook, especially the sections entitled ‘Monitoring visits’ and ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly publicly funded’. The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is a train operating company that operates the Southern and Gatwick Express rail franchises. GTR’s headquarters are in central London. The training centre for the Southern and Gatwick Express franchise is based at its depot in Selhurst, south London.

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Context and focus of visit

GTR has held a contract for teaching apprenticeships for its Southern and Gatwick Express rail franchise since March 2020. At the time of the visit 39 apprentices were studying the level 3 train driver standards-based qualification.

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Context and focus of visit

Apprentices that started in 2020 are experiencing a delay in completing their qualification. This is because of health and safety measures introduced as a consequence of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. This affects those apprentices that need to complete the driving practice component of the apprenticeship.

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Context and focus of visit

The impact of COVID-19 has been taken into account in the findings and progress judgements below.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders, managers, and trainers design and teach a thoughtfully structured apprenticeship curriculum. Apprentices, all of whom are new to the train driver role, learn substantial new knowledge, skills, and behaviours in the classroom. Apprentices consolidate these skills effectively through a robust period of driving practice with experienced driver instructors.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers and mentors hold appropriate teaching and assessing qualifications. In addition, they have relevant vocational expertise as train drivers. They keep their Monitoring visit: Govia Thameslink Railway Limited, 14–15 April 2021 occupational skills and professional knowledge up to date through refresher training and testing every three years.

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Reasonable progress

Managers have a good understanding of their trainers’ performance, which they assess every year. They provide helpful feedback to trainers on how to improve their teaching skills. As a result, trainers develop valuable techniques in using questions to help apprentices explain what they know.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and trainers work effectively with apprentices’ line managers. They provide useful information on apprentices’ progress through weekly update reports. Trainers and managers use these jointly to identify gaps in apprentices’ knowledge and skills. Line managers then provide timely opportunities to help apprentices catch up. For example, apprentices’ managers adapt their work programme so that they gain more practice in driving types of trains. As a result, most apprentices are on target with their studies.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers set ambitious standards for their apprentices. They explain to apprentices what their career options are once trained, and encourage them to take these, for example becoming instructors or taking on managerial responsibility.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders monitor appropriately the sub-contracted English, mathematics, and information technology (IT) provision. Leaders meet monthly with staff from the sub- contractor to review the programme. They agreed to move the teaching of English, mathematics, and IT to later in the training. It is too soon to evaluate if this decision will result in a higher proportion of apprentices achieving their qualifications in the planned time.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices enjoy their training. Trainers motivate them effectively to achieve the curriculum goals. Apprentices attend training eager to learn and take detailed notes to refer to outside of the classroom.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices gradually build their skills, knowledge, and behaviours over time. For example, apprentices first learn the basics of the railway industry such as signalling, track lay-out and train despatch. They then apply this new knowledge to more complex topics later in the course such as safe driving on single line working operations.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers ensure that apprentices retain the new knowledge and skills they develop through regular testing of what apprentices know and can do. They use questioning strategies effectively to see if apprentices remember knowledge in detail. They set apprentices suitably relevant homework and revision topics for their tests. As a Monitoring visit: Govia Thameslink Railway Limited, 14–15 April 2021 result, apprentices remember well what they have learned, such as the rules and regulations set out in rule books and train driver manuals.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices appreciate the high-quality feedback they receive daily from trainers on their driving aptitude and skills. Apprentices use the feedback to reflect carefully on the skills they need to improve and put into practice on the following day. As a result of the comprehensive mentoring which apprentices receive, they extend their skills effectively for driving in different conditions, such as in snow and ice, and in darkness.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices do not know clearly enough what they need to do to develop their knowledge of English and mathematics. As a result, in the majority of cases apprentices’ progress in developing their knowledge of these subjects is too slow. The content of the IT curriculum does not relate well to the train driver role. Consequently, apprentices do not value learning these skills.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders, managers, and trainers promote a culture of safeguarding and health and safety. Topics such as personal safety in the working environment, apprentices’ health and well-being, and keeping others safe form a recurring theme in training.

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Reasonable progress

The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) is appropriately qualified. Leaders, managers, and trainers undertake training in safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty annually.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders maintain suitable processes for recording safeguarding incidents. Apprentices know who the DSL is and how to contact them. They know they can approach their manager if they feel unsafe at work.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices benefit from the health and well-being initiatives provided by the employee assistance programme. They can access financial, legal, and mental health advice when required.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices have a sufficient understanding of the dangers of radicalisation and extremism and how it relates to their job roles. For example, they know what to do when they find a suspicious package on the train. Monitoring visit: Govia Thameslink Railway Limited, 14–15 April 2021 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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